Drawings and Paintings of the Nude Male Form at Bali Mystique Hotel August 27 Ė September 11, 2012

Taking its inspiration from the title of the Weather Girls disco hit of 1979, the exhibition "It's Raining Men" in Bali by three artists - Pranoto, Kerry Pendergrast and Masaya Kurobe will be held at the Bali Mystique Hotel.
a renaissance period artistic preoccupation with the nude male form, these three artists are dedicating an entire exhibition exclusively to art depicting men déshabillés.

Ubud-based artist Pranoto and his wife Kerry Pendergrast have pioneered “Life Drawing” classes for years at their [Pranoto Art Gallery.] The weekly sessions feature models, male and female, from around the world.

The current exhibition at the Bali Mystique Hotel, however, focuses only on drawings of men taken from those sessions. Pranoto and Kerry's work is joined by the renditions of Japanese artists Masaya Kurobe who is a frequent visitor to Bali and an artists participating in the weekly drawing sessions in Ubud.

Pranoto demonstrated his masterly charcoal and acrylic figurative work in a two-part exhibition/artist in residence last year at Gallery East and Midland Junction Art Centre in Perth, Western Australia.

Kerry Pendergrast has also held major exhibitions in Perth, Jakarta, Bali, and was an artist in residence last year in Phuket, Thailand. She specializes in pastel landscapes, but in the current exhibition she shows her line drawings, pastels and paintings of the masculine form.

Masaya Kurobe from Japan,is a featured artists at Pranoto’s Art Gallery with the current show introducing his work to a wider public. A frequent visitor to Bali, his business card proclaims himself a “Prisoner of the Charm of Bali”.

“It’s Raining Men”Drawings and Paintings of the Male Form by
Pranoto, Kerry Pendergrast and Masaya Kurobe

Ugandan National Arrested with a Kilograms of Methamphetamines at Bali Airport

Underlying concerns that the illicit narcotics trade is approaching gargantuan proportions in Bali, Customs officials at Bali’s airport have arrested another man on Wednesday, May 30, 2012.

According to Bali Post, Ugandan national Gadafi Polikoko (39) was apprehended at the airport upon arrival in Bali and brought to a local clinic where x-rays and medical procedures yielded nearly one kilogram of methamphetamines from the man’s alimentary tract.

According to a Bali police spokesperson, the arrest of Polikoko was the result of joint efforts by Bali police and Customs officials. When the man arrived in Bali off a Qatar Airways flight at 7:30 pm, a subsequent inspection of the man’s person and his luggage yielded no drugs. Working on police suspicions, x-rays revealed capsules of illegal drugs the man had swallowed earlier.

The value of the drugs ingested by the man were put at Rp. 2 billion (US$215,000). In all, police and medical professionals in the course of 24-hours recovered 66 capsules of methamphetamines from the man. Questioned by police, Polikoko said he planned to hand the drugs to a man in Bali.

Investigators, however, learned that a man by the name of Praktik Prasetya (23) was waiting for the drugs not in Bali but at the Hotel Grand Menteng on Jalan Matraman Raya No 21 in Jakarta. Working on this lead the police, Anti-Narcotics Agency officers and Customs officials arrested Prasetya in room 528 of the Hotel Grand Menteng on the Friday following Polikoko’s arrest.

Both men will be charged under the 2009 Narcotics Law carrying a maximum penalty of death and fines of Rp. 10 billion (US$1.075 million).

Less than Truly Festive

34th Bali Arts Festival Pilloried for Bad Management Left in the Hands of Amateurs.

Bali Daily, the local supplement of The Jakarta Post, reports that the 34th Bali Arts Festival (PKB) is receiving a less-than-enthusiastic endorsements from leading figures in the island’s arts community.
Dibya, a professor from the Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI), complained that as a member of the “curator team” for the PKB he has, in fact, been given little authority to select the artists or even the type of performances for the month-long festival.

Dibya said, “The team of curators has the job of reviewing the works of all performing groups to ensure that their creative arts are in line with the festival’s theme,” Dibya said. While the theme of this year’s Festival is “Paras Paros” or “Dynamism in Unity” lamented that the PKB is run by a committee of bureaucrats and not by the team of curators.

“This annual Bali Arts Festival is viewed more as a government project, rather than a pure art endeavor,” Dibya said. He complained that the selection of performers was done by regional administrators, adding, “the team of curators really has no idea about the background of the groups and their artistic portfolios.”

The Bali Arts Festival has been notoriously mismanaged for many years. Programs are seldom issued in advance, with an “official” program only distributed several days before the festival begins. Also rather unique in this modern era, the Bali Arts Festival lacks an official website from which news can be dispensed and tickets sold to the general public. And perhap most glaring on an island teeming with professional event organizers, the provincial government of Bali chooses to “go it alone” and organize the entire event on its own, with predictably lackluster results year after year.

Another professor from ISI, I Made Bandem, pointed to this lack of professional management as the major impediment to the positive development of the PKB over time. “In foreign countries, an art festival is usually under the management of a trust, not a group of (government) committee members,” Bandem explained. “With good management, we would be able to register and record the real number of art troupes from each regency to complete our database and to map our performing arts groups,” said Bandem.

Bandem also complained that the venues used for the BKP have become inadequate and outdated. Calling for a greater emphasis on the traditional arts, Bandem called for a rethink of the Bali Arts Festival, including considering making the event biennial instead on annual.

After nearly 8 years in Bali, Gareth Warne, the Australian manager of Sail Sensation and Nusa Lembongan Resort has elected to bid farewell to the Bali and Nusa Lembongan cruise and resort operation.

Warne, whose wife works in Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific, made the reluctant decision to leave his adopted island home and his much-loved co-workers in order to locate his wife, son and self in a single location.

Joining the Bali cruise and resort operation in 2005, he was initially based at the Nusa Lembongan Island resort before taking on a sales and marketing role at the company’s Bali office.

In 2007, he was elevated once again to the job of General Manager overseeing both the floating and land-based assets of the company.

Intent on giving back to the community, Warne has won awards from the Klungkung regency for exemplary payment of tax obligations and served as the Director of Environment for the Bali Hotels Association. He has also been an active member of SKAL Bali and the Rotary Club Bali Seminyak.
Under Warne’s stewardship the Bali company has won multiple Tri Hita Karana awards given to company’s exemplifying best cultural and environmental practice.

Until a replacement is named, Gareth Warne offered assurances that the company’s daily cruise program and private island getaway accommodation services at Nusa Lembongan will continue to operate normally with Agus Mansur and Gede Adhnyana available to handle any operational or booking concerns.

Those wishing to keep in touch with Gareth Warne can email him at [Email Gareth Warne] in Hong Kong where he will be enjoying the company of his family while contemplating his next foray in international tourism.

Reflecting on his Bali interregnum, Warne professes he has no regrets and only found memories of his time spent with Sails Sensation and Nusa Lembongan Resorts and the “wonderful staff members” who made his Bali assignment resemble a “working holiday.” Adding, ”I have enjoyed every moment with the staff and the very supportive management team in Bali and Australia.”

During his tenure with the Bali company Warne was instrumental in creating products and services that attracted a significant incentive and group market to the company. “I am sincerely thankful for the friendships I have made through local agents and overseas and the many colleagues that have supported me over the years to help SailSensations be the success it is today," he said.

An Underground Movement

Baliís New Underpass Achieves 27% Completion Level

Seputarbali.com reports that at the end of May 2012 the underpass project at the Simpang Siur Intersection and the Dewa Ruci Monument has achieved a 27% completion rate.

Hendro Satrio, who heads the underpass construction, confirmed the 27% completion rate. Presently, work is progressing on widening the road on the east and west sides of the project site and the installation of box culverts for the diversion of water. Satrio explained that the widening of the road will take place in two phases of widening the east and west sides and then the north and south sides of the roads abunting the Dewi Ruci Monument in order to ensure traffic keeps flowing over the busy intersection.

The second phase of widening of the north and south sides is scheduled to start in August 2012.

Satrio confirmed that the total length of the new underpass would stretch 435 meters. The tunnels of the underpass will be constructed in such a way as to leave the Dewa Ruci Monument intact and unscathed.

“What’s not simple in building the underpass is organizing traffic flows around the ongoing construction. We are working at the crossroads of the world with thousand of people from any nations passing through this area every day,” explained Satrio. He said one of the factors causing congestion at the intersection is the desire of passing motorists to slow down and observe the construction process firsthand.

When completed in early 2013 the new underpass will have four northbound lanes and four southbound lanes connecting the Sunset Road with the Bypass running to Bali’s Airport and Nusa Dua. Apparently, plans to have an underpass connecting Sanur to the southern highway were abandoned to act as an indirect incentive for motorist to use the new toll way connecting Benoa with the airport and Nusa Dua.

The underpass project is being constructed by a consortium headed by PT Adhi Karya at a total contract value of Rp. 136.19 billion (US$14.65 million). The project covers a total land area of 7,440 square meters with construction expected to be completed by May 2013.

Members of Bali’s House of Representatives (DPRD-Bali) are expressing concerns that the elevated toll road connecting Benoa and Nusa Dua will not solve the island’s traffic congestion, but only move current road congestion to the new roadway.

Quoted by Seputarbali.com, the vice-chairman of the DPRD-Bali, Ketut Suwandhi, said: “After I checked in the field, the fear arose that we will (only) see a new traffic jam. This is because the gateway accessing the new road is located close to the present road.”

In a House hearing in which the director of PT Jasa Marga Tol Bali, the company constructing the suspended highway, participated in a question and answer session with legislators, the contractors were asked to reevaluate the access plan for the toll way.

Supporting the call was the deputy speaker of DPRD-Bali was Gusti Made Suryantha Putra, who said that he hope the toll way’s construction would reduce traffic congestion in the island’s south.

Another legislator, Ida Bagus Pada Kusuma, asked the House if the capacity of the new toll way has taken into consideration the growing number of vehicles on Bali’s roadways. “I am also worried that in ten year’s time the toll way will become congested creating a new traffic jam,” he said.

The CEO of Jasa Marga and the Bali Toll Project, Ahkmad Tito Karim, explained that his companies are only the people executing the project and are not empowered to change the project design. He also explained, that the gateways for the toll way will be positioned in such a way to reduced the possibility of congestion at entry points. The gateways and the placement of toll booths will be set back from the main toad about 500 meters to prevent the entry lines from backing up to the main road.

The Benoa, Bali branch of PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) III is preparing the pier and berthing infrastructure at Bali’s southernmost port to handle a full range of international cruise ships.

Quoted by the State News Agency Antara, the general manager of PT Pelindo III-Benoa, Iwan Sabatini, said, “We have already dredged the harbor’s basin and approaches to accommodated larger cruise vessels.”

He further explained that the length of the pier would be extended to 340 meters to accommodate ships of up to 300 meters in length.

“In the future, cruise ships will be increasingly larger and longer. This is happening amidst a growing demand for cruise tourism,” Sabatini explained.

The man in charge of the commercial operations at Bali’s port of Benoa revealed that some 60,000 people are targeted to arrive by ship at Benoa in 2012.

“We are targeting for 38-40 ships to dock in Benoa,” he said.

Ridding Bali of the Plastic Scourge

Environmental Group Urges Bali to Ban Plastic Bags

A non-profit group – Plastic-Free Bali wants the island’s administration to ban the use of plastic bags.

Reminding the provincial government of its own pledge to make Bali “plastic-free” by 2013, quoted in Bali Daily (The Jakarta Post), Tina Stockport, the group's spokesperson, said on Monday, June 4, 2012, “banning the bag is an obvious first step in addressing Bali’s garbage problems, but such a sweeping measure requires strong government commitment to enforce it, along with widespread public support.”

The group has outlined a variety of steps towards making Bali plastic-free, including tough rules and regulations with fines for illegal dumping together with rigorous public education programs on the danger plastic poses to the environment.

Pointing to the success of India and China in reducing plastic waste, Stockport is confident that Bali can follow suit. Supporting that view is the fact that Bali launched a “Bali Clean and Green” program in 2010 announcing a 2013 goal for successful implementation.

Saying Bali’s self-proclaimed program is falling behind schedule, Stockport said: “In the three years to date, evidence resulting from these initiatives is lagging,”

She also condemned government plans to subsidize the use of bio-degradable bags, saying: “Promoting biodegradable bags will actually increase the overall amount of plastic waste, as shoppers believe these bags are an environmentally friendly option and will not bother trying to reduce their use. Surely stopping plastic at its source, rather than creating waste in the first place, would be the most effective method of tackling the waste problem.”

Stockport contends that biodegradable bags are a ruse, and never truly degrade, especially in humid tropical climates such as Indonesia. “This is merely a cosmetic solution that has dangerous long-term consequences and costs to both human and environmental health.” “

“Biodegradable bags contain high levels of heavy metals to promote degradation. These toxins are introduced into the food chain, seeping into farming land and poisoning the many animals and marine life that ingest them,” said Stockport.

Pointing out that plastic bags, used only once and for a very short time, become a permanent part of the environment for 1,000 years to come.

Government officials estimate that Bali produces some 1,000 cubic meters of plastic waste every day, a figure representing 10% of the island’s daily garbage.

The head of the Bali Environmental office, Anak Agung Alit Sastrawan, appreciated the efforts of “Bali Plastic-Free” but expressed doubts that the overwhelmingly popular use plastic bags could be halted. At best, said Sastrawan, Bali could try to provide biodegradable bags.

As part of Bali’s celebration of the 54th anniversary of Bali's establishment as a province, the 34th Bali Arts Festival, and the 67th celebration of national independence on August 17, 2012, Bali’s governor Made Mangku Pastika has declared a period of free bus travel for 3 months on the Trans-Sarbagita Bus System commencing June 1, 2012.

The provision of free bus rides applies to all passengers, both domestic and visiting foreign tourists, and will end on August 31, 2012.

The governor proclaimed the 3-month free bus ride program following a meeting held to review preparations for the 34th Bali Arts Festival on June 6, 2012.

The Trans-Sarbagita Bus System runs a route from Batubulan-Kuta-Nusa Dua on the Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai.

The governor has asked that bus conductors continue to issue tickets during the free-ride period but not to request any payment from passengers.

Quoted in Beritabali.com, governor Pastika said, “Give the passenger tickets anyway. This will allow us to measure the growth in passenger numbers on the Trans-Sarbagita system."

Seputarbali.com reports that the governor recently traveled incognito on the Trans-Sarbagita Bus System, riding alone and wearing a hat and glasses to conceal his true identity. The driver and conductor reportedly only became aware they had the governor on board as Pastika disembarked at the BTDC in Nusa Dua. The trip allowed the governor to see first hand the operation and the growing public acceptance of the bus system first launched on August 18, 2011.

Based on his experience, the governor identified the need to reduce waiting time at halts, having personally waited 42 minutes for his bus instead of the advertised 15 minutes.

He also called on the operators of the bus system to give full attention to matters of service and cleanliness.

Seputarbali.com reports that for the period January to May 2012, Bali experienced an estimated increase in narcotics cases of between 20% and 30%, as compared to the same period one year before.

The head of daily operations for the National Narcotics Agency in Bali (BNNP-Bali), IGP Budiartha, said the increase in drug cases was just one indication (of the growing drug problem) as further evidenced by the large number of arrests of people trying to smuggle drugs into the island.

He blamed the surge in drug cases on the growing demand for drugs in Bali. For this reason, the top anti-narcotics enforcement officer in Bali is calling for an intensified effort to stamp out narcotics use. “If we allow (this) to continue, the cases of criminality involving drugs can threaten the very daily lives of the Balinese people,” Budiartha warned.

Separately, the head of the Ngurah Rai Airport Custom’s office, I Made Wijaya, said that for the period January-May his team had thwarted no les than 8 cases of drug smuggling via the airport. Wijaya added: “All the cases we handled involved foreigners. They appear to be acting as couriers, attempting to bring narcotics onto the island.”

Wijaya expressed his concerns that all indications point towards a significant increase in drug cases in Bali in 2012 as compared to 2011.

Take Me to the Pilot

Austrian Pilot Hemuth Lehner Lands in Bali on His Round-the-World Flight in a Very Small Single-Engine Airplane

A 44-year-old Austrian pilot and father of three, Helmuth Lehner, landed his small Aerospoolin WT-9 Dynamic Airplane at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport on Thursday, June 7, 2012, after flying four hours from Jakarta during the visit to the 17th country in a round-the-world journey.
lane, modified for the challenge of a circumnavigation, weighs only 320 kilograms.

Lehner’s epic 48,000-kilometer journey commenced four weeks ago when he took off from the Blue Danube Airport in Linz, Austria. Thus far, his journey has included stops in Central Europe, Greece, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Jakarta before touching down in Bali.

When his journey ends in August the intrepid traveler will have visited 30 countries in all and raised substantial funds to memorialize fellow Austrian pilot Han Gutman, the first Austrian to circle the globe in a self-built airplane who perished in a plane accident in Italy in 2011. The donated funds will be used to support surviving family members of private pilots who have died at the wheel of their aircraft.

The specially modified airplane was originally built as an ultra light aircraft but was modified with additional equipment and extra fuel capacity to permit 19 hours of continuous flying time on a single fueling.

The longest leg of Lehner’s sojourn will be a 3,700-kilometer leg from Hawaii to San Francisco.

> If luxuriating for hours on end in a serene atmosphere of attentive pampering is decadent, then the M2Spa in Kerobokan Area, North Kuta is deliciously so.

Run by one of Bali’s most established spa operators, the M2Spa has been designed to attend to that sizeable “all male” niche of Bali’s growing spa market.

Accordingly, the M2Spa resembles a relaxed and sophisticated gentlemen’s club. Quiet garden areas are available for socializing around a dip pool, a lounge offers a wide range of light refreshments, there's an exercise room and even a hairdressing salon.

The central core of M2Spa, however, is its exhaustive range of spa treatments provided in sumptuously decorated treatment rooms.

At an establishment preoccupied with detail, spa clients undergo a brief interview over a welcoming refreshment while the range of treatment options are explained. Trays of exotic massage oils, organic scrubs and bathing salts are presented for pre-selection. FInally, notes are made of existing physical condition that need be advised to your therapist.

No less attentive to detail is the quality of linen, bathrobes, slippers and the soothing music selected and piped into each treatment room.

M2Spa's commitment to customer satisfaction includes a dedicated full-time manager and a senior spa trainer on stand by at all times to make sure each customer leaves the spa thoroughly satisfied and busily planning a return visit.

Like the menu of a fine restaurant, the selection of therapies available at M2Spa makes choosing a most challenging task. All the major schools of massage form part of the repertoire of each intensively trained masseur, with simultaneous treatment available for two menin a single chamber or an intensive fourhanded massage listed among the extensive range of difficult choices confronted by each M2Spa client.

In all, more and 20 different treatments are available, including facials and aesthetic treatments - all listed after the jump.

Strictly limited to male clientele, the “all male” staff stands by each day from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm.

International Anti-Narcotic Conference Convenes in Bali June 11-15, 2012

Bali is hosting the 29th International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC) in Nusa Dua June 11-15, 2012.

Special security precautions are in place to ensure all goes smoothly at a conference to be attended by the world’s leading law enforcement officers engage in the fight against international narcotics trade. A security drill involving more than 3,000 police officers, military and community volunteers (pacalang) was held at the Niti Mandala field in downtown Denpasar of Friday, June 8, 2012, presided over by the head of the National Narcotics Agency, Gories Mere.

Gories, who also serves as current chairman of the IDEC, told the gathering charged with keeping the conference safe and secure that the Bali conference will discuss strategies for the elimination of the international narcotics trade.

During its 28-year history the past IDEC conferences have always been held in the U.S. and Europe. The Bali conference will be the first time the event has been staged in Asia.

Gories declared Bali’s selection as the host destination for the IDEC conference as an “honor for Indonesia.”

Separately, Gories shared the information from the United Nations Office on Drug and Crimes (UNODC) that records a three-fold increase in trafficking in amphetamines (ATS), while marijuana and heroin flows have doubled.

The IDEC Conference will also include an exhibition of the latest technology available to law enforcement in the battle against illicit narcotics distribution.

The conference will be attended by almost 400 law enforcement officials representing around 80 countries.

Food & Fashion Under the Stars

Fashions by Bali-based Designer Dwi Iskandar at Lavish Gala Dinner Show at Sakala on Saturday, June 30, 2012

The fashions of acclaimed Bali-based designer Dwi Iskandar will have exclusive reign of the catwalk at a evening of outstanding wine and food to be held at SAKALA on Tanjung Benoa Saturday, June 30, 2012.
as its theme “A Day in Your Life” - Dwi Iskandar will champion his distinctive creative and ethnic approach to fashion via contemporary and an edgy look at every aspect of Dwi's fashion milieu - from uniforms for work, to fashionable ready-to-wear to bold formal evening wear.

“Urban, smart and effortless” are adjectives used to describe Dwi Iskandar’s clothing across his entire range of ready-to-wear and made-to-order casual wear, evening and party attire, wedding trousseau, ethnic costumes, resort wear and uniform line.

Perhaps what sets this young Indonesian designer apart from many others in his field is his unique ability to make powerful fashion statements that remain eminently wearable. This is grounded in Dwi's start as the designer of uniforms for some of the world’s leading resorts.

Iskandar’s creates fashion statements punctuated with practicality. Dwi’s functional clothing instinctively knows that both the body of the wearer and the fabric must be allowed to assert themselves in a happy marriage of movement, fabric and body.

Loved by those who value quality and style, Dwi Iskandar fashion draws inspiration from the rich cultural traditions so readily encountered on his adopted island home of Bali.

A Day in Your Life

A full evening of fashion and style begins on Saturday, June 30, 2012, at 6:00 pm with cocktails at SAKALA Bali Infinity Pool followed by a four-course dinner prepared by Chef Frederic Boulay with paired wines.

After successfully commencing service between Jakarta and Guangzhou, Indonesian carrier Batavia Air is seeking to start flights between Denpasar (Bali) and Hangzhou.

Quoted in NusaBali, Sukirno Sukrana, commercial manager of Batavia Air said: “We have filed an application for this route to the Ministry of Transportation in January. We have yet to receive the response; we continue to await.”

Sukrana said his company seeks to tap into the substantial outbound tourism market from China to Bali.

Plans are to fly the proposed route with Airbus A320-200 with 220 all-economy seats.

Separately, a spokesman from the Transportation Ministry said the delay in granting permission to Batavia Air to fly to Hangzhou rested not with the Indonesian government, but with the Chinese.

The Ministry spokesman, Djoko Murjatmodjo, explained further saying, “Based on the explanation I have received (from the Chinese government), there are several documents that must still be submitted by Batavia Air for the processing to take place.”

Batavia Air reportedly seeks to fly between Bali and Hangzhou three times a week.

Bali Hotel Building Boom Unlikely to Abate

Indonesia's Summarecon Group Planning $376 Million Resort Project in Bali

Property developer PT Summarecon Agung is preparing to begin building a resort in Bali at a cost of Rp. 300 billion (US$32.3 million).

As reported by Bisnis Indonesia, the CEO of Summarecon, Johannes Mardzuki, announced his corporation would develop a 10-hectare site bank financed through internal cash resources of the company and borrowed funds. Said Mardzuki: “According to plans, the source of the funds will indeed be a combination, but the percentage of cash and loans has yet to be fixed.”

He also revealed that the proposed project in Bali would include participation by the current owner of the land, with the Rp. 300 billion used wholly for the physical construction of the proposed resort.

Mardzuki underlined that Summarecon would maintain a majority share in the property, which represents the first foray into the tourism resort sector by the Jakarta-based developer.

“We have the land, but we are not able to fix the date when the project construction will commence as we are still in the permit application process,” he explained.

Summarecon is known for the development of mall projects and new town developments, namely Summarecon Serpong, Summarecon Bekasi and Summarecon Kelapa Gading.

The company is targeting 2012 sales of Rp. 3.5 trillion (US$376.3 million) from the three township developments.

The location of the proposed 10-hectare resort in Bali and the number of planned keys remain unspecified at this time.

In Case of Fire . . .

Kuta Cited as Area of South Bali Most at Risk of Fire

The Badung regency fire fighting service has labeled Kuta as that area of South Bali most at “very high risk” of fire. Kuta with a 91.89 density rating is home to an estimated 1,610 structures.

Meanwhile, nearby South Kuta and North Kuta have been given “moderate” fire ratings. Mengwi and Abiansemal earned “low risk” fire ratings. And Petang received a “very low” fires risk classification.

The head of Badung’s Fire Service, I Wayan Weda Dharmaja, told NusaBali, ”The dynamic human and physical development with high building structures play a strong role in fire risk.”

To anticipate the growing danger of fire, Dharmaja explained that the regency was developing fire stations hydrant locations. At the present time there are 115 fire hydrants in operation in Badung with 45 located in Kuta, 19 in Mengwi, 18 in South Kuta, 14 in Abiansemal, 12 in North Kuta and 7 in Petang.

Badung presently has 156 fire fighters spread across 8 squads. Dharmaja told the press that some of the firefighting equipment in place in Badung was in disrepair, needing urgent repair.

Rp. 7 billion (US$752,000) has been allocated in 2012 to purchase 4 new fire trucks, a tanker and a fire jeep.

In 2012 Badung recorded 75 fires causing a total of Rp. 16.439 billion (US$1.77 million) in damages. In 2011 there were 102 fires costing Rp. 14,439 billion (US$1.55 million). Through the end of April 2012 a total of 33 fires took place in Badung resulting in Rp.7.56 billion (US$812,000) in damages.

Garuda Indonesia is reportedly reviewing the possibility of providing Internet connections to its passengers.

Quoted in Bisnis Bali, the Executive Vice-President for Business Development and Risk Management for the Airline, Judi Rifajantoro, described In-flight Connectivity as a most useful service for passengers, particularly on flights of more than 2-hours duration.

The current review being undertaken by Garuda is examining the cost of such a service, which classes of service should be able to access the Internet while in flight and on-line speed capabilities.

Judi added, “Our hope is that such a service (Internet In-flight Connectivity) will benefit passengers by allowing them to continue their work will in flight.”

Judi said the proposed Wi-Fi connection would be available only while the flight is in a stabile flight condition.

Garuda plans to provide Internet In-flight Connectivity is being explored in conjunction with PT Telkom Indonesia.

Following the successful completion of the 4th Annual Pink Ribbon Walk held at Nusa Dua on Saturday, May 26, 2012, the battle on Breast Cancer continues with the hosting of “Kawasaki Goes Pink – A Breast Cancer Awareness Event” set for Sunday, July 15, 2012.
of-its-kind event for Bali, the “Kawasaki Goes Pink” is a day-long street fair that will close a one kilometer stretch of Jalan Dewi Sri, off the Sunset Road, to all vehicular traffic from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm.

Promised by its organizers to the Bali’s largest charity event ever, some 300 vendor stands will offer refreshment, merchandise, games of chance and information.

Music will be provided throughout the day together with door prizes and the live auction of a Kawasaki motorcycles and Volkswagen car among the promised highlights.

Bali Pink Ribbon Foundation, founded in Bali in 2009, is a non-government organization that fights breast cancer through education and medical support programs.

A limited number of stands are available on a first-come-first-served basis for Rp. 200,000 (US$22).

Information and bookings by [Email] or by telephoning Fiftin at ++62-(0)81353150004 or Rara at ++62-(0)0361-758909.

Bali Domestic Arrivals on the Rise

Bali by the Numbers: Domestic Passengers Traffic Through Bali Airport Increase 15.41% January Ė April 2012

Data provided by the Central Statistic Bureau (BPS) shows that domestic passenger traffic through Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport increased 15.41% for the period January – April 2012, as compared to the same period in 2011.

January-April 2012 1,109,800 passengers

January-April 2011 961,600 passengers

Domestic passengers at all Indonesian airports monitored by BPS for the period January – April 2012 recorded 17,146,400 passengers, up 5.7% from the 16,222,300 recorded during the first four months of 2011.

While estimates vary widely, domestic passengers may represent 50-55% of all arrivals to Bali.

A citizen’s group calling itself the Anti-Narcotics Movement (Granat) accompanied by the former Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra have formally registered a suit with the National Administrative Court (PTUN) challenging the legitimacy of the remission in sentences granted by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to two convicted drug felons being held in Bali’s Kerobokan Prison, Schapelle Corby and Peter Grobmann.

Hendry Yosodiningrat the chairman of Granat, Yusril Mahendra the head of Granat’s legal team and a large group of Granat members converged on the PTUN on Thursday, June 7, 2012, to file their legal challenge against the presidential remission.

Yusril told NusaBali that many Indonesian were unaware of the remission in sentence given by the President to two foreign nationals.

The suit filed with PTUN claims the presidential remission in sentence represents a decision by the Country’s chief executive and is therefore subject to possible legal challenge before the PTUN. In Yusril and Granat’s view, the PTUN has the authority to overturn any ruling or decision made by the Indonesian President whenever it can shown the President’s actions were illegal, violated the public’s interest or were not in accordance with the principles of good governance.

Yusril complaint filed with the PTUN seeks to demonstrate that the granting of a sentence remission to Corby and Grobmann was in opposition to the National Constitution, the National Narcotics Law and 2006 regulations prohibiting the granting of remissions to those charged with corruption, terrorism, narcotic crimes or trans-national crime.

If the PTUN accepts the legal challenge filed by Granat, it is possible that the remission in sentences granted by President Yudhoyono could be revoked. Moreover, Yusril has announced that if the PTUN rejects the case or rules that the Presidential remission of sentence was legal, his group will appeal the PTUN ruling. Yusril added, “I think there is sufficient reasons for the courts to overturn the two decisions by the President.”

A spokesman for the President, Julian Aldrin Pasha, told the press that he had only just heard of the suit filed by Granat and was unable to comment until given a chance to review the basis of the complaint. Pasha did, however, say the Presidential decree granting a remission in sentences for the two convicts met all administrative procedures and was not in opposition with the National Constitution that grants the Chief Executive such powers.

Photos from the ĎBlood Sportí of 'Perang Pandan' in Tenganan Village, East Bali

The Bali Aga village of Tenganan in the Karangasem regency is home to a unique set of cultural traditions, specific to this mysterious village that still forbids marriage to outsiders and tightly closes its four gates to the outside world each evening. Viewed as a walled and fortress-like village to non-residents, that image contrasts sharply with the intense cordiality shared common among village members who live in ancient wooden homes standing on the side of orderly and very wide cobblestone streets paved centuries ago. Shielded to some degree to the rest of the world, the people of Tengangan exhibit a strong sense of shared identity behind their village gates, demonstrated by the absence of walls separating one household from the next.

The people of Tenganan do dance to the beat of a different drummer, sharing traditions that predate the 16th century Majapahit wave that swept across Bali. Even the calendar is read differently in Tenganan where the Balinese New Year and day of absolute silence (Nyepi) are celebrated on dates at odds from the rest of the island, according to separate rules and rituals practiced by people who consider themselves the “original Balinese.”

Justifiably popular as a stop on any cultural tour of East Bali, visitors are also drawn to Tenganan to see the unique “double ikat” cloths made here.

On Friday, June 8, 2012, hundreds of tourists were drawn to Tenganan to see the annual celebration of the local blood sport of Perang Pandan or Mekare-kare. In contests reserved for young unmarried men and teenage boys, contestants, clad only in sarongs and traditional headwear, face off in two-man bouts armed with thorn-edged pandan leaves used to mercilessly flail the opponent's naked torso.

Symbolic of an ancient mythic battle among the gods, participation in these matches are virtually mandatory for local unmarried men beginning as young as 13 or 14 years of age. In bouts that last up to five minutes, the goal is to beat your opponent into retreat by inflicting bloody wounds on his back and sides of his body. Performed to music provided by a local percussion orchestra, strict rules require that good humor prevails, with displays of anger and revenge considered "bad form" on the part of any contestant.

We've discovered an excellent series of photos taken during the latest round of Perang Pandan held in Tenganan made by talented Indonesian photographer Robertus Pudyanto we'd like to share.

W Retreat & Spa Bali prides itself on it’s very individualized approach to creating a ‘W experience” for their guests – an experience priding itself on attention to detail and luxury driven by technological innovation, resulting is a “Wow” reaction for their clients.
s in mind, W Retreat & Spa Bali now has two shiny, new Smart Cars available for rent to their in-house guests. A creative technological collaboration between the Daimler AG (Mercedes Benz) and SMH – the maker of the Swatch brand of watches – these Smart “micro cars” are the epitome of style in a bold, understated kind of way.

Known by some as the “Swatchmobile” the cars comfortably seat two. Moreover, the size of these attractive vehicles makes them the perfect choice for the environmentally-minded traveler or someone just looking for the perfectly-sized vehicle for negotiating Bali’s crowded roadways.

The W Retreat’s Smart Cars can be rented from Resort’s front desk at the following rates or booked when making a room reservation with [Baldiscovery.com] :

3 Hours – US$ 35

6 Hours – US$ 60

12 Hours – US$100

24 Hours - US$150

The W Retreat will also soon introduce a Mini Cooper Cabriolet into its fleet of self-drive mini-forms of transportation.

Bali Hotel and Restaurant Association Demands a Voice in Approval Process for New Hotel Projects

Bali Daily (Jakarta Post) says the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI-Bali) wants a voice in the approval process for new tourist accommodation projects in Bali.

The Chairman of PHRI-Bali, Tjok Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati (‘Cok Ace”), has joined a chorus claiming permits for new hotel projects are issued by officials with little or no reference to consumer demand or the island’s overall carrying capacity.

“Bali is crowded with various types of tourist accommodation, starting from luxury starred hotels and villas to home stays. The development of new hotels, or other similar facilities, could result in crucial supply and demand problems,” commented Sukawati.

Meanwhile, regency authorities remain unable to resist the “easy call” of readily approving new accommodation businesses license requests, citing the need to expand the tax base. The vice-regent of Badung regency, Ketut Sudikerta, recently declared his office’s intent to ignore the governor’s call for a moratorium on new hotel projects. Instead, Badung regency will openly welcome new hotel investors, with Sudikerta pointing to the shortage of rooms during major holiday periods as proof of unmet demand.

There are an estimated 50,000 hotel rooms for sale each night in Bali, a number certain to fall short of the actual count that should include unlicensed hotels and the massive private villa industry.

Cok Ace is seeking a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with local government in which PHRI-Bali would be consulted on matters relating to demand for new rooms and technical advice on facilities and services for new accommodation projects.

Cok Ace, who also serves as the regent of Gianyar, recently banned the construction of condotels in his regency, claiming such developments tends to marginalize the Balinese.

Underlying the call from the PHRI-Bali is a growing demand for a more inclusive form of consultative decision-making when policy makers deal with issues affecting the daily lives and future of the island.

Second Round of Baliís 2012 Texas Chili Cook-off Set for Bali on Sunday, June 17, 2012

The second qualifying round in Bali’s 2012 Texas Chili Cook-off will take place in Ubud at The Melting Pot Game Room Pub on Sunday, June 17, 2012.

Colorful and lively affairs, the series of Chili Cook-offs held in Bali each year bring out a large group of amateur and professional cooks determined to demonstrate their acumen in making that much loved Texas creation of bubbling, spicy chili while entertaining the judges and the crowd with a bit of showmanship.

Chili is prepared from scratch at the cook-off site and judged on a set criteria by a panel of judges in a blind taste test. Entrants are allowed to participate as individuals or teams and often use creative with props, cheerleading teams, T-shirts and other distractions to encourage the judges and crowd to vote for their chili concoction.

Professional cooks and restaurants are invited to show off their best Texas chili recipes for bragging rights to Bali’s best pot of chili. There are three categories in which to compete; Chili Appreciation Society International -(CASI), freestyle and vegetarian. In addition, a People’s Choice Award goes to the chili winning acclimation from the gathered crowd.

Despite all the fun, the competition is deadly serious, leading to the 2nd Annual Texas Chili Cook-off to be held in Bali on October 21, 2012.

Held in an open-air environment (highly recommended by chili enthusiasts) the cook-off is a daylong event with music, games and refreshments available from mid-day until evening. Cooks tend to arrive and begin preparations between 10:00 am and 12:00 noon. Tastings and judging by both the public and the panel of expert judges commences from 3:30 pm, with the announcement of winning recipes set for the early evening hours.

For more information and guidelines for competing, please [Email Sherri] or send a SMS with your email contact to ++62-(0) 812 364 0490.

President Opens 34th Bali Arts Festival. Link to Program for 30-Day Celebration of the Arts

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the 34th Bali Arts Festival (PKB) in Bali on Sunday afternoon and evening, June 10, 2012.
ly planned to be held on Monday, June 11, 2012, the opening was advanced by one day on in order to accommodate the overseas travel commitments of the Indonesian President.

The festivities commenced with a grand parade on Sunday afternoon, opened with the striking of a tradition wooden bell or okokan by the President at the Puputan Field in Renon, Denpasar. This marked the start of a parade past the presidential grandstand that featured thousands of artists from across Bali who danced and performed music and dance down the streets of Bali’s capital, many using motorized floats. Also joining the parade were artists from across the Indonesian archipelago and visiting foreign performers who will participate in the month long festival.

The streets surrounding the Puputan Field in Denpasar were crowded by Bali residents and visiting tourists watching the parade. Press reports tell how trees along the parade route were filled with young men attempting to obtain a good vantage point to view the passing parade, despite the best efforts of Presidential guards to prevent such activity.

On Sunday evening the President attended an opening performance at the Arts Center in downtown Denpasar that began at 8:30 pm. The President, wearing a green ikat shirt and a traditional Balinese udeng headdress, witnessed a colossal performance of “Oratorim Perusada Santha" performed by students from the Bali Arts Institute (ISI). The stage performance was inspired by a 14th century Majapahit era tale depicting how Hayam Wuruk first envisioned an archipelagic nation united under the motto “Unity in Diversity.”

"Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" or "Unity in Diversity" is now the national motto of the Republic of Indonesia.